Monday, May 30, 2011

The shopping centre is like a space station in that humans scurry around totally indoors in long disorienting passage ways and sloping escalators, down down into the depths.
All of which is par for the course if outdoors were covered in two metres of snow or were lashed by desert sand storms but, hey, we won't have anything less than air con, no matter what, in our mild climate.
Hang the environment and energy use. Ignore the existing stock of empty shops available for reuse in the district.
'Onya, Kate Blanchett!

An abundance of waterfowl, emus, mutton birds, wild ducks, pigeons and swans were once common in the area.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Another economic stimulus project at St Philip's Christian College, Waratah and compared to others this hall is a behemoth perhaps a fitting description as behemoth is biblical for an animal, perhaps the hippopotamus (Macquarie Dictionary). Unlike some suburbs, this one absorbs developments on all fronts and little back streets coexist with activity and increase in thru traffic .
The hall is assembled tilt built style using a crane (what else?). A timeless characterless mass of concrete softened with landscaping.

Is there no room for an alternative design, here and there, for a new assembly hall? Will this decade of public buildings in the nation's schools be recognized for their winning style, or their heritage, in eighty years time? Is there no time or money for an architect to exercise imagination and make a building with a hint of flair that stimulates the learning environment? Colour and texture.
As long as something, anything glossy emerges everyone is gratified.

School playground with a surprise, a Plover sits just metres away from the where the children play. A second plover prowles around the territory which has been their home base for some years. Their home is marked by a stake and witche's hats.
Voice: noisily vocal (colloquially called 'alarmbird'), strident kekekeke...and single shrieking kek. The camera provoked a response. Habitat: margins of ponds and dams, grasslands of all types including some in built-up areas, occasionally on the shore. Widespread, from central Australia to the east.
No attempt was made to photograph while the school children were playing - you never know, one might get arrested for doing that.

A new assembly hall, part of the nation wide economic stimulus, makes a very useful addition to this school and is the first addition for some time. It is the third design I've seen without conventional window openings and several reasons come to mind, one person said it is done to provide an extra safe area in an emergency. Who knows? Sounds a bit extreme.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Sunday, May 15, 2011

A brisk morning for a walk and while some of us were rugged up to the nines, one man was in shorts and a lightweight top. The logo from Aspen probably explains why. Seems particularly cold for May.
The headland, Nobbys, has a light house and weather station and an old ex-wartime bunker on ground level has a new lease of life 'guarding' the Port of Newcastle.

On SBS TV, Eurovision with the lookalike Streets ice cream symbol is a feast of lighting effects, fashion and hair styles and something of a window on what is current.
Moldova were the true madcap winners, witches and all, as was Estonia who were clever impressionists of the sureal.
Please stop American copy cat female divas who rave on - only in English. Macedonia was interesting. France entirely lost the plot.
Terrible is a good description if the show is taken seriously.
Trivia: a Streets Ice cream sign, (it is tiny), is in the large photo heading the page.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The Grand Hotel, accross from the court house, a post-legal retreat?

Advertising just washes over me. The big names behind the internet, Google, the Social media, etc don't use conventional advertising at all and get unlimited consumers without it. It is a new paradigm with a captive audience and as a virtual entity is worth billions.
Pop-ups make an insistant form of advertising and give power - disappearance is just a click away - usually!

Flights and advertising. We live, in this country, with long haul flights. Maxium distance to most destinations. Perhaps this influences advertisements of first class flights that offer space to sleep in comfort. Quirky ads show two sitting on a vast bed chatting to an attendant. Or a cosy duo of stranges. How the other half live! Those ads I can do without.

Who ever has had the great fortune to be friend's friend,Who ever has won a devoted wife, join in jubilation! ...Joy all creatures drinkAt the breasts of nature,All good, all badFollow her trail of roses, Kisses she gave us, and wine, ...

Be embraced, you millions! This kiss for the whole world!Brothers, beyond the star-canopyMust a loving Father dwellBe embraced, This kiss for the whole world!Joy, beautiful spark of divinity, Daughter of ElysiumJoy, beautiful spark of divinity,Divinity.

Friday, May 06, 2011

An illustration from the book Saraban A chef's journey through Persia, Greg and Lucy Malouf. Each 'surah' with a decorative cut-out through which to glimps highly ornamental images as well as scenes from Iran and the people and food.

Newcastle folk in Ellamorevale have debated at length an application to build a Mosque and raised objections about traffic problems and the debate just reached an important point at a time which conincides with the revisiting of extremists actions from the past, overseas. Newcastle is not very multicultural in an obvious sort of way. Apart from the need for actions based on justice and good will, by and large, a multicultural presence is good for a community.

A farce has taken place in Pakistan as contradictory stories come out. All's fair in love and war. How embarrasing for Obama and co. Governments have gone insane. I'm ashamed. And the unsavoury Pacific solution for refugees is included in this rant. Also, where ever does the pronounciation come from that sounds like Muzzlems instead of Mooslems. I wonder if those US daily shows, that don't reach here anymore, are giving the government heaps.

Demolished. The small family business, Stotts Mowers in Waratah has moved away and, probably, homes will take its place.
The business was once well known and some thirty years ago could be seen taking part in city processions with a stunt in which a little lawn mower towed big heavy things along. Gender equality was there and the daughter was a competent mechanic.
The business had grown like Topsy with a workshop on the rear of the house. Later, the house burnt down and the shed was reorganized.
Most of the homes in the vicinity have changed hands a number of times in thirty years. More and more, homes have only become an investment, a negotiable item, two incomes became mandatory, salesmen love the situation which inflates home prices and keeps many on a treadmill.

These are no waring tribesmen but exponents of traditional dance from the UK and celebrating at a festival.

Osama was far from the mind of festival goers but one well known entertainer sang about current warfare and its futility and in a well meaning rendition frequently alluded to the Islamic deity and to Jesus.

I am sceptical about political correctness but I wondered if the lyrics and reference to the Islamic deity were against tradition. The audience were probably all WASPs. All is fair game at a festival. And will the Chasers parody the current events in Pakistan?

Sunday, May 01, 2011

Did David Attenborough say that our amazing life forms developed in the past 300 000 years? Don't drive them to extinction during one single short generation - like now!
A flock of these vivid birds were busy on the roadside in town

Hello..hello wantoks..Newcastle Australia calling...Hey! The content aims to convey our lived experience in the style of holiday snaps. It is simply recording the scene. See if it is infused with the surroundings and if it shares fragments of local goings on. Trivia unlimited.Dies Felices! ....November 2010

BLOGS I avidly followNONE fromAsia, Australia & the Pacificor Africaor Europe & Middle Eastor the Americas(parody)How does one find time to surf the net?

Local weather

BIRABAN is the protector of the peoples of the local Awabakal Nation. He shows himself as an eagle hawk. When he passes he leaves his shadow imparting protection and strength.

About Me

THE future.... restating the obvious at the time of the Copenhagen summit Dec 09

Outstanding films are made about natural history. Weknow much more about nature than ever before. Every aspect of habitat and biodiversity is demonstrated before us in stunning images. Yet, it is perverse. Does this influence our reactions to nature? To the global community? Are we influenced towards conservation and towards lessening the pressures on the environment by significant change to our lifestyle. We are interdependent with nature. It is vital. What is the excuse for inaction, for instance, loss of species, for one, would be self-evident to believers and unbelievers of climate change alike.Who will change the impact of their western lifestyle? It takes much more than doing away with plastic shopping bags!Perhaps the glossy wildlife films about bounteous and rich, remote environments are really only a form of entertainment and escapism. The reality of our local communities and their stand offs with nature will never be related in our mind with the glamourous nature films nor seen as every bit as vital. To rehash: Climate, conservation, economy, global warming and sustainability are not separate concerns. An organic approach makes the most sense, nay, is the only valid approach to a combination of challenges.